Friday, April 25, 2014

TSA Week in Review – 42 Firearms Discovered This Week (36 Loaded)

Loaded Firearm (AUS)

42Firearms Discovered This Week
– Of the 42 firearms, 36 were loaded and 12 had rounds
chambered. See a complete list and more photos at the bottom of this post.

Inert
Ordnance and Grenades etc.
– We continue to find inert hand grenades and other weaponry on a weekly basis.
Please keep in mind that if an item looks like a real bomb, grenade, mine,
etc., it is prohibited. When these items are found at a checkpoint or in
checked baggage, they can cause significant delays because the bomb squad or
explosives detection professionals must come to resolve the alarm to determine
they’re not a threat. Even if they are novelty items, you cannot bring them on
a plane. Read
here on why inert items cause problems.

A replica/novelty grenade was discovered in carry-on bag at Mobile (MOB), and an inert smoke grenade was found in a carry-on at
Fayetteville (FAY). An inert/replica grenade was discovered in checked
baggage at Syracuse (SYR).

Artfully
Concealed Prohibited Items –
It’s important to examine your bags prior to traveling to ensure prohibited
items are not inside. If a prohibited item is discovered in your bag or on your
body, you could be cited and possibly arrested by local law enforcement. Here
are a few examples from this week where prohibited items were found by our
officers in strange places.

Knife in Toothpaste Tube (SJC)

A knife concealed in a tube of toothpaste was discovered in San Jose (SJC).

Thirteen credit card knives were
discovered this week. Three were discovered at Charleston (CHS), three more at
Kansas City (MCI), and the remainder were discovered at Appleton (ATW), Branson
(BBG), Cincinnati (CVG), Milwaukee (MKE), Mobile (MOB), Shreveport (SHV), and
Sonoma (STS). Check out this blog post for more information on
credit card knives.

Airsoft Guns – Two Airsoft guns were
discovered in carry-on baggage at Phoenix (PHX) and Spokane (GEG). Airsoft guns
are prohibited in carry-on bags, but allowed in checked baggage. Read this post
for more information: TSA
Travel Tips Tuesday: Traveling With Airsoft Guns

Ammunition – When packed
properly, ammunition can be transported in your checked baggage, but it is
never permissible to pack ammo in your carry-on bag.

Firearms
Discovered This Week in Carry-On Bags

Left to Right / Top to Bottom: Guns Discovered at MFE, GRR, CLT, FLL, SDF, IND

Left to Right: Guns Discovered at HOU & PIT

*In
order to provide a timely weekly update, this data is compiled from a
preliminary report. The year-end numbers will vary slightly from what is
reported in the weekly updates. However, any monthly, midyear, or end-of-year
numbers TSA provides on this blog or elsewhere will be actual numbers and not
estimates.

Unfortunately
these sorts of occurrences are all too frequent which is why we talk about
these finds. Sure, it’s great to share the things that our officers are
finding, but at the same time, each time we find a dangerous item, the line is
slowed down and a passenger that likely had no ill intent ends up with a
citation or in some cases is even arrested. The passenger can face a penalty as
high as $7,500.00. This is a friendly reminder to please leave these
items at home. Just because we find a prohibited item on an individual does not
mean they had bad intentions, that's for the law enforcement officer to decide.
In many cases, people simply forgot they had these items.

Couple of things, when did TSA resume full body rubbing on little kids. Screening by WTMD plus ETD would have satisfied any increased concerned without the distgusting acts done to those children by TSA employees.

Second, did anyone check this article for errors. They are blatant and demonstrate the lack of professionalism and lack of attention typical of TSA.

If a prohibited item (knife, ammo, etc. - not at the level of firearm) makes it through security accidentally, and was deemed to be mistakenly forgotten in the carry-on bag, I see that the traveler's information is taken for a report (name, address, drivers license number, phone number, etc.) while the item is justifiably confiscated.

Where does this info go? Just with the report? Or does it go into some database that could potentially affect travel and be associated with that traveller in the future during screenings?

Better luck next week. There's a terrorist out there somewhere you can catch, just keep trying.

if you look at tsa's mission you will find that they are not to catch "bad guys" or even terrorists. they are to stop weapons, explosives, and incindiaries from getting on airplanes. i wish that more people were aware of this as it would help to stop the confusion.

Anonymous said...Question (only peripherally related to this post!):If a prohibited item (knife, ammo, etc. - not at the level of firearm) makes it through security accidentally, and was deemed to be mistakenly forgotten in the carry-on bag, I see that the traveler's information is taken for a report (name, address, drivers license number, phone number, etc.) while the item is justifiably confiscated. Where does this info go? Just with the report? Or does it go into some database that could potentially affect travel and be associated with that traveller in the future during screenings?Thanks!

Oh, what a load of bollocks. As if their little pieces of paper go anywhere except into the trash. They make a big show of writing down names, numbers, etc. to pretend they're doing something, to pretend they have law enforcement authority, which they don't. What a joke.

So why are you still using the expensive, invasive, slow and obviously ineffective full body scanners again? Another week has gone by and nothing you listed in your "dangerous and found" list required the use of these scanners. Worse, the scanners make it easier to get a gun on a plane, because they don´t detect them in orifices, under folds, under fake skin, or simply on the side of a person´s body!

"...f you look at tsa's mission you will find that they are not to catch "bad guys" or even terrorists. they are to stop weapons, explosives, and incindiaries from getting on airplanes. i wish that more people were aware of this as it would help to stop the confusion."

OK, fine. But those items are only dangerous in the hands of criminals intent on doing harm. You or I having a gun in our suitcase is not a threat to anyone because we are only going from here to there. So why does the TSA make such a big deal about finding all this crap when there is no one trying to take down a plane attached to it? Terrorists will try to shoot holes in a plane, or the people inside of it, so why come they haven't found a terrorist behind any of those guns?

Since these could all be found with luggage xray and WTMDs, you've pointed out the extreme folly of the nudie scanners and ID checks.

When will you put the stats of the billions of non-harmful private property items the TSA has confiscated right next to the stats of the non-terrorist weapons you've found AND the stats for the thousands of weapons your screeners have missed?

I travel frequently. Over 25% of the time some TSA employee has to pat down some part of my body with no explanation or reason.

Not too long ago in America, I remember that we had other words for strangers who touched others inappropriately. Sadly, our government leaders have convinced about 50% of the general public this practice is OK at airport checkpoints. My opinion is that "if you walk like a duck and quack like a duck, you're probably a duck" - that goes for the TSA and the congressional leaders who support their disgusting pat down practices.

I stopped flying several years ago. I drive everywhere now. The trips from Mass. to Florida and back are not bad once you get use to it. A friend of mine drove to Texas and back and she said it was not that bad. Everyone should stop flying.

you know why you keep finding so many loaded firearms?? because only a fool carries a firearm but leaves it unloaded. though it appears that you identified 6 fools this week. unfortunately, you probably missed nearly 100 firearms based on the last testing that we have access to. but fortunately, exactly 0.00% of those firearms were carried aboard with ill intent. TSA is a total waste of tax dollars.

I continue to wait for some justification for active duty military being included in pre-check, but not retired military or holders of current DoD or LE background investigations. military retirees have at least 20 years documented service to this Nation, pretty much proving their lack of risk. both DoD and LE background investigations should reveal any risk factors. active duty military do not, necessarily, have a background check or any significant length of service. neither citizenship nor a background investigation is required to enlist in the military, in fact there are likely illegal immigrants serving. if it is really about safety, then why are potentially unscreened non-citizens allowed through? sounds like it is just pandering to an admirable group to get PR, not adjusting the rules to ease screening on those who present a lower likelihood of threat.Let me be clear: pre-911 screening should be the norm. it is all that is required, now that cockpit doors have been reinforced and locked, and flight crews and passengers know that the rules have changed and passivity=death. however, if we are going to continue this massive waste of tax dollars on security theatre, at least have _some_ of the rules make sense.

Jill said... No one is going to take over a plane with theses items )box cutters)..... and the TSA could have even less to do and steal even less property.

Jill, box cutters and small knives were exactly what the terrorists used on the planes on 9-11, in case you forgot!!! What do you and other think you have to carry knives in your carry on luggage? ... put them in your checked in luggage!

you know why you keep finding so many loaded firearms?? because only a fool carries a firearm but leaves it unloaded. though it appears that you identified 6 fools this week. unfortunately, you probably missed nearly 100 firearms based on the last testing that we have access to. but fortunately, exactly 0.00% of those firearms were carried aboard with ill intent. TSA is a total waste of tax dollars.

How do you know , that none of those people had ill intent???? ...no further report or information tells you what has happened to any of the people who were caught trying to sneak fire arms or knives on-board planes! Only a real idiot would continue to try to sneak loaded fire arms in a carry on bag! These kinds of people deserve to be arrested or detained for further questioning and to evaluate their mental capacity !

I continue to wait for some justification for active duty military being included in pre-check, but not retired military or holders of current DoD or LE background investigations.....

Bad idea !!... Don't you think any of those retired ex-military people couldn't also go wack-o! .... or carry an un-detected gun on-board, and start shooting people. NO !... those people should also be screened!

Oh, what a load of bollocks. As if their little pieces of paper go anywhere except into the trash. They make a big show of writing down names, numbers, etc. to pretend they're doing something, to pretend they have law enforcement authority, which they don't. What a joke.

April 26, 2014 at 7:26 AM....................

Anon, I submitted a comment in response to your post. While it fully complied with every aspect of the illegal TSA posting guidelines it seems TSA didn't approve my comment since I referred to a government that no longer exist but was known for its exceptional record keeping.

I think history will prove out that TSA has meticulous records that they try to hide from the public. Perhaps some day those records will come back to haunt our current day TSA employees like it did for that government that no longer exists.

Many of the dissenting letters state that pro-active passengers and hardened cockpit doors are basically all one needs for doing away with the screening process. That is only half the battle. If an explosive device is smuggled on board and not discovered it will not make any difference. We have never been safer in the skies, we cannot go backwards. Think before you make such foolish negative comments about TSA.

"Jill, box cutters and small knives were exactly what the terrorists used on the planes on 9-11, in case you forgot!!!"

In case you have forgotten, what caused 9/11 was "cooperating" with the hijackers and the unlocked cockpit doors.

Today even if someone could get on board with a knife or boxcutter, he wouldn't get very far because the passengers would take him down and the pilot would maneuver the plane in a manner that would send anyone not buckled in flying, pun intended.

"If an explosive device is smuggled on board and not discovered it will not make any difference."

As someone posted on another site:"and given the TSA's obsession over ID and boarding pass checks and strip search machines, resources get diverted from contraband WEI interdiction"the TSA is so busy with minutiae that it could and does easily miss dangerous items. Do you remember the block of C4 that was in a carry-on bag?

Anonymous said...Many of the dissenting letters state that pro-active passengers and hardened cockpit doors are basically all one needs for doing away with the screening process. That is only half the battle. If an explosive device is smuggled on board and not discovered it will not make any difference. We have never been safer in the skies, we cannot go backwards. Think before you make such foolish negative comments about TSA.April 28, 2014 at 3:38 PM------------------------- TSA fails to fully screen the airline ground employees who could easily bring in an explosive device . The security backdoor is wide open and TSA just stands around doing nothing useful.

Bad idea !!... Don't you think any of those retired ex-military people couldn't also go wack-o! .... or carry an un-detected gun on-board, and start shooting people. NO !... those people should also be screened!April 28, 2014 at 1:31 PM___________________________________No one siggested no screening, what is being said is that military retirees should be given access to Pre Check type screening,

Simple question, why are active military considered less risky than retired military by TSA.

The simple fact is that retired military have known records an represent very little risk to commercial aviation.

TSA is the problem when it fails to use basic logic to formulate policy.

Anonymous said... Jill said...No one is going to take over a plane with theses items )box cutters)..... and the TSA could have even less to do and steal even less property.

Jill, box cutters and small knives were exactly what the terrorists used on the planes on 9-11, in case you forgot!!! What do you and other think you have to carry knives in your carry on luggage? ... put them in your checked in luggage! ---------------------------------I don't check luggage. haven't for many years. I should not have my property taken away because of fear-mongering by our government. yes, box-cutters and knoves were used on 9/11, but the only reason their use was successful was years of training to comply with hijackers. that has now ended, so it will never work again. there is nothing dangerous about them, so there is no reason to dprive law-abiding citizens of their possession or use.

How do you know , that none of those people had ill intent???? ...no further report or information tells you what has happened to any of the people who were caught trying to sneak fire arms or knives on-board planes!---------------------------------I know via the simplest means possible. over 100 weapons were carried aboard aircraft during the week in discussion, whether in intentional disobedience of an unreasonable law, or through unintentional forgetfulness, and ... wait for it ... NOTHING HAPPENED. nothing to do with TSA screening, except that they missed the usual 70% of prohibited items, and NOTHING THAT THEY MISSED WAS USED MALICIOUSLY!!! now do you get it???!!!

"Many of the dissenting letters state that pro-active passengers and hardened cockpit doors are basically all one needs for doing away with the screening process. ...Think before you make such foolish negative comments about TSA."

Work on your reading comprehension. No dissenters have said there should be NO screening at all.

Anonymous said...Jill said...No one is going to take over a plane with theses items )box cutters)..... and the TSA could have even less to do and steal even less property.

Jill, box cutters and small knives were exactly what the terrorists used on the planes on 9-11, in case you forgot!!! What do you and other think you have to carry knives in your carry on luggage? ... put them in your checked in luggage!---

Anonymous, Jill's point was that it's not ABLE to happen again, considering A) The cockpit door is secure and B) the other passengers will no longer site idly by while you attempt to take over the plane.

TSAnonymous said... The reality of the situation is this.America has been very lucky not to have had another attack.Count your blessings.Let your guard down and see what happens.

April 30, 2014 at 3:11 PM

-------

Nothing would happen. The TSA does not provide any real security. It's security theater.

No critic of the TSA wants NO security. We demand REAL security and not this overblown fake security that costs American taxpayers $8 Billion EVERY YEAR and also costs us our privacy, freedom, and property.

Allison Williams Esq. said..."I love to drive. You should all try driving instead of flying, you won't regret it."

Many of us do. However, do you know how much more risk there is from driving than of a terrorist attack? The numbers are not pretty. So, by forcing some of use to drive instead of fly in the hopes of avoiding them, the transportation SAFETY administration has failed its mission.